Lost Moments
by Dangerously Grey
Summary: A hectic and sleepless day at the hospital results in a staircase accident for Naoki. How bad can it be?
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1: Sleepless in Tokyo**

**Events leading up to Naoki's accident in Episode 14 of "Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo 2"**

**AN: I'm considering making this one-shot into an actual story, since I have a few plot ideas. But I thought this little snippet was so cute I just had to share it. Leave me any commentary or reviews! I love reading them, they're like little ItaKiss deleted scenes for me; I crave them.**

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"The last portion of the report just needs to include the patient's hemoglobin, white, and red blood cell count with the new tests given by Doctor Nishigaki. Since Nishigaki-sensei suggested that the patient have an aminotransferas test, you should schedule him in tomorrow for these tests. Don't forget to schedule these with the Chief Nurse tomorrow. Other than that, I think the report is decent, Kotoko." Naoki finished, sighing in finality.

As he took a sip of his lukewarm coffee, he watched his wife type down the notes quickly. It was nearly four in the morning and it was clearly a long night. After two operations, three hours of clinic duty, and an hour in the ER, Naoki was mentally exhausted. Even though the unpredictable life of a doctor had him highly entertained, it was beginning to tax on his restfulness.

"Irie-kun, I'm done! Thank you for the help! Let me just print this and we can go to sleep!" the voice next to him chirped happily as she began to stack her medical notes and books away. Nodding, he got up and pulled the multiple bed sheets down; it was pretty chilly even though they had central heating in the house.

"Come on Kotoko, let's go to bed we have a long day tomorrow." mumbled Naoki as he slid in to their bed. In reality, he was more exhausted mentally; currently, the back of his mind was processing the procedures he assisted today. His mind was racing rapidly about the complexities of the human body when in reality he just wanted peace. Coffee and Kotoko's report did nothing but add fuel to the fire in his brain. Feeling the bed slightly dip to his right, he smelled the familiar jasmine lotion Kotoko used for her night regime.

"Ne, Irie-Kun."

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you for your help. I love you."

"I know."

"Ne, Irie-kun?"

"…Hmmmm"

"Are you sleepy?"

"Of course I am, Kotoko. Please try to get some sleep; It's been a long day." Naoki murmured, lying face up, studying the ceiling; it usually became a habit to do this before bed.

"Ne, Irie-kun."

"…What is it now?"

"Konomi-chan called me earlier today, saying that Yuki-kun gave her a kiss and said that he liked her! I told you they'd be a good match. I wonder how Yuki-kun grew the courage to do so." Kotoko murmured as she observed the ceiling as well. The one-sided love of Konomi paid off spectacularly; Kotoko was positive they were perfectly perfect for each other!

"Obviously it's because of my advice. Yuki just needed a nudge in the right direction." Naoki stated quite proudly. He _knew _Yuki like the back of his hand; even though both boys were quite terrible at talking about their feelings, he knew what it was like to be annoyed at the girl he liked. The only nag in the back of his mind is how long it took him to come to terms with knowing that he was in love with Kotoko. He would've dated her six years sooner. He'd be happier even back then. If only he had an older brother to receive life advice from.

Turning to face his wife, he explained:

"I just told Yuki to confront and talk about his confusion with Konomi-chan. He said he was annoyed with her sometimes and then questioned himself whether in reality he _really_ was annoyed. I'm proud that he actually took the advice." Naoki added, eyeing his wife. She pouted.

"If only you knew this yourself in high-school! I would've gotten so many kisses and hugs back then and I wouldn't have missed and stalked you as much!" Kotoko whispered indignantly, slightly frowning at her husband. They would've joined clubs together, gone to dances, outings, even attend classes together!

Naoki raised an eyebrow as he tried not to laugh. His wife sure was cute when she was upset. However, she did have a point; they'd be able to get away with _a lot _back then. After all, Mama-Irie didn't set boundaries in their relationship. Pushing his perverted thoughts away, he scooted closed and hugged Kotoko while giving her short pecks on her face.

"Be thankful I didn't admit my feelings to you after medical school. Want to make up for lost time?" Naoki mumbled in-between kisses. Returning the short pecks, Kotoko pouted again.

"I'm so sleepy, but I can't get myself to sleep." Kotoko mumbled as she kissed his eyelids.

"Same here. I can't believe the caffeine hasn't worn off yet." He softly replied as he snuggled his wife. Maybe it was the beginning to another sleepless day? He had to report to the OR in three hours.

"Ne, Irie-kun."

"What?"

"Want me to wear you out? After all, you helped me out on my reports and I didn't even reward you." Murmured a surprisingly seductive voice.

His eyelids shot open in genuine surprise; Kotoko being flirty _and_ seductive? This was going to be an interesting night.

* * *

An hour later, Naoki was extremely exhausted…for _obvious_ reasons. Trying to regulate his heavy breathing, he glanced at his wife; her sleepy, yet satisfied face told him more than enough. Smiling smugly, he wrapped his arm around his still-naked wife and kissed her forehead.

"Ne."

"Mmmmm?"

"I'll help you out on your reports if it means I get this reward. I love you."

"Mmm."

Smiling, he finally drifted off to sleep.

However, life wasn't so forgiving.

_RING RING RING-_

Groaning angrily, Naoki shrugged off the covers as he smacked the alarm off. Not even a _wink_ of sleep! Eyeing his sleeping wife, he sat up and glared at the rising sun.

He was going to need more coffee.

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**AN: Hope you liked this late-night snippet! Let me know if it'd be a good idea to continue the plot! Actually it's nearly 5AM and I coincidentally drank some coffee earlier and now I can't sleep. Please review with some comments or questions I'd be glad to hear them! For more ItaKiss info, discussions, posts, of any sort find me as "nitalemilade" on Tumblr!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Good morning! You might've gotten an email super early saying that I posted my ch2. It's true. However, I noticed too many typo's, I was missing some dialogue (I uploaded through my phone) so I took it down just to fix it up.  
Tbh, I think I did a good job on this chapter, the plot twist didn't even come to me till I was actually writing the actual scene. Anywho, enjoy!**

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_"Next stop, Tonan Medical Hospital &amp; ER."_

Naoki's eyelids parted open wearily, looking out of the subway's window. Dark colors zoomed past his eyes rapidly, shifting his eyesight to the watch strapped in his left wrist.

_7:30 AM._

With a sleepless night and a lack of breakfast, Naoki felt like complete and utter shit. The weary man snorted at his blunt thoughts. He didn't care about anything at the moment, highlighting how he refused to acknowledge the woman next to him, sending him flirtatious and promiscuous glances. It was seven in the morning.

Too early for this nonsense.

Folding his arms together, he mentally prepared himself for this taxing day. Two surgeries, five hours in the clinic, and a handful of check-ups was all he had to do to get home. Feeling the familiar halt, he stood up, grabbed his suitcase and headed out. The sun pierced his eyes harshly, causing him to squint as he quickly paced to the eight-story building. The familiar smell of chemical cleaner and sanitation spray invaded his nostrils as he looked around. Today looked exceptionally busy; mothers held screaming children, people were writing the information on the medical sheet, and nurses looked busy and overwhelmed. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to leave on time today.

"Thank you Doctor Irie. Have a good day." The elder woman murmured cheerily as she exited the clinic room. Bowing, Naoki murmured a thank you and farewell, while pulling out the next patient's file. Taking a sip of the cold and bitter coffee helped him somewhat focus; three hours in his shift and he was being more stoic than usual. When his rest goes south, so does his attitude; curt responses and his eye-rolling didn't help matters either.

By noon, everything went from decent to downright horrible. Hordes of patients swarmed the hospital, taking doctors and nurses left and right. Due to the chilly weather, people were showing up with the all- too familiar symptoms of the flu.

Kotoko was processing and filing the new medical files that were written down today; so far half the nurses were stuck doing the clerical work since it had to be processed first before the actual consultation. Other than that, it was a really, really, long day. Switching rounds with the other nurses helped Kotoko begin her quest to find her beloved doctor. After a _great_ night, she felt energized by the extra sleep and ahem..._sexual activities_ that wore her out. Humming merrily, she skipped on, pushing the cart of injections and bandages to its next victims.

However the pediatrics department was a different story; various nurses were taking on double their patient capacity, there was only him and another doctor available, and he himself felt unfamiliarly overwhelmed. Massaging his temples, Naoki hummed with annoyance; his head was beginning to throb with a vengeance. Obviously it was due to the lack of sleep and actual food. Thankfully, he'll have a break in half an hour.

"Doctor Irie. May I have a word?"

Turning around, the Chief Nurse gave a small smile as she handed him a steaming cup of coffee. Nodding and thanking her for the coffee, he pulled up a chair for the intimidating woman.

"First of all, great job with picking up the emergency case from that foreign woman. Christine-san? Its a relief that you calmed down her husband. I wonder how she's going to be tomorrow. Second, I noticed that Kotoko-san has really improved on her work! I'm excited that her studying has begun to pay off."

"…Oh really? I'm quite glad." Naoki mumbled, slightly guilty that he helped on almost _every_ aspect of the report.

"However, have you had some sleep lately? You seem very ill-rested." Chief continued, eying him with a look of concern. It wasn't natural for the prodigal doctor to be so introverted; normally he kept to himself, but today he was so closed off and curt, almost like an island. The dark bags under his eyes didn't help matters either.

The lanky man shrugged. "I've just had a few sleepless nights. After my shift, I'll be home and well-rested."

Smiling in reply, the chief excused herself. Might as well let Kotoko know about his sleep deprivation. No one values Naoki's health more than his scatterbrained wife.

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Nursing two sets of freshly-packed lunches, Kotoko skipped to the lockers to change into her uniform. Earlier, she quickly went home and prepared a lunch for her and Naoki as to eat together after his surgery hours. Since Chief Nurse had given her the news of Naoki's condition, she decided to make some food for his shift. Changing into the sterile uniform gave Kotoko power of authority and positivity. After this little hump, both of them would have the rest they deserved.

Today was going to be a good day.

"Irie-kuuuuuuuuun!" Kotoko chirped brightly, searching for him in the OR department. She'd been informed that the Nishigaki/Irie operation was over. Currently, she bad the two hefty bento's of food in one arm and had a bag of bottled drinks and candy in the other. Skipping past the wing, she looked around. No handsome doctor in sight. Sighing dejectedly, she began to descend the main staircase.

"Kotoko?" a familiar voice greeted.

Honey and happiness and all the sweetness in the world entered her heart and everything was right in the world again. Her descending didn't slow down.

"Irie -kun! I've been looking all over for you! I made us some yummy Lunch so your strength can build up and I even brought desse-!"

As the world screeched to a microscopic speed, Kotoko stared as her husband's face slowly morphed into shock and fear, as she tumbled down the stairs. Each tumble to the floor wasn't even registered in her brain as the shock set in. Suddenly, she felt the familiar arms encircle the back of her head and waist and she knew they'd be alright.

However, life wasn't so forgiving.

An almighty _crack_, resonated through the hallway, sounding too loud for her ears. Everything was still fast and yet too slow.

She felt wetness on her cheeks.

After a few seconds, it was all over. There was no yelling, no thuds, nothing. Feeling the weight of Naoki's body cocooning hers comforted her at the very least.

"Ah my head...are you okay Irie -kun?" mumbled Kotoko, as she opened her eyes. Naoki looked peaceful, almost as if he was asleep. He didn't have any indents on his forehead from concentrating or from his usual frowning whenever she did something crazy.

He looked fine...aside the fact that his hair line was beginning to seep with blood.

Drops splashed on her cheeks, marring her porcelain skin with crimson.

Naturally, she screamed.

The blood-curdling scream echoed through the hospital as she dazedly sat up and began to sob.

_"No Kotoko, he needs you! Keep calm!"_ The little voice in her head resonated quickly, stopping her hiccupping sobs.

Laying him upright, she tried coercing him awake.

"Irie -kun wake up! Wake up!" She begged as she slapped his cheeks with quick succession, earning a slight frown from his face. Seeing his face come to life again set her heart beating again. Yelling for help and assessing him was no easy task.

Taking his flashlight pen, she opened his eyes and flashed light into them. His eyes were still dilated, not contracting in the slightest. He must have a concussion. His leg was bent at an awkward angle, signaling that his long leg may be broken. Straightening him out, took his pulse and continued to slap his cheeks, hoping he wouldn't fall asleep.

"..Stop…. It hurts.." his voice bit out shakily from the floor. She breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Please stay up Irie-kun. What is your name honey? Who are your parents?" She questioned shakily, trying to get an answer. As long as he was busy thinking, he'd be alright. Hearing the multiple feet running towards her, she began to quickly report to Dr. Nishigaki what had happened and what his symptoms were.

As he was being lifted to the stretcher, he murmured into the oxygen mask. "Irie... Nao-ki. My parents are Noriko... and Shigeo Irie. I'm a senior at Tonan High-school…"

The swirling and chaotic memories of Irie Naoki came to an abrupt halt as this world turned black, wiping everything clean.

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**AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm having like plot babies from this prompt tbh. I hope it left you all on a cliff hanger tbh. Till next time! Review if you have any comments or if you just wanna complain. I love it.**


	3. Chapter 3

AN:Hey guys! Hope you like what I have on this chapter! 2,000+ words of Itakiss yummyness!

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"The trick is to fry the vegetables _before _mixing it in the stew. Do you want mushed vegetables in your dish?" stated Kotoko's father as he sipped on some green tea, while jotting down the recipe for Noriko. Shigeki nodded sagely in understanding as he heard his best friend's wisdom, happy to have a professional cook as his best friend and in-law.

On boring nights like these, the parents usually relaxed in the family room and enjoyed each others company while catching up on their day to day Shigeki and Shigeo chatted about a nostalgic lunch meal in elementary school, the phone rang from across the up the phone, Noriko answered in a cheerful tone, "Irie-Aihara residence, who is calling?"

She didn't expect Kotoko's incoherent words and she certainly didn't expect to understand them so easily.

"Nao..naoki he- he-probably has a con-concussion…mama, He's hurt-we're at the hospital I need you! " sobbed her daughter in-law heavily, gasping in every other word. Hearing the grave words stopped her brain processing; the phone fell from her grasp as her eyes glistened. Noriko never heard her daughter-in-law use his first name. Ever.  
"My boy…"  
Surprisingly, Noriko Irie didn't faint; she knew her boy would overpass this tumble with Japan's most capable doctors. However...the crippling fear that all mother's possessed took hold of her body. Noticing the phone on the floor, she quickly picked it up and spat out that they were on the way.

There was no time to waste. Seeing her in-law and husband's worried faces, she quickly strode to the young couple's room while yelling over her shoulder,  
"Papa! Shigeo-san! Get dressed, Naoki is hurt and He's in the hospital as we speak! I'm packing for them. Hurry!"

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High, broken keening sounds had echoed in the waiting room. The young nurse was denied any access to the ER since it was a conflict of relationship. She couldn't even report to Nishigaki properly due to her stuttering and panicking, thus being escorted by an ashen Moto-chan. He was still in shock; not even ten minutes ago, he received the news that the prodigal doctor and his wife took a dangerous tumble down the stairs. He had relied on the other nurses to clean the blood-soaked floors while he took care of his hysterical colleague.

Kotoko was a mess; terrible thoughts and forms of guilt entered her brain, infecting her senses. What if her husband died because of her faulty moccasins and careless actions? She vaguely remembered him chiding her on those shoes, since they had no stable sole. If he became anything less than he originally was, she'd be ridden of guilt for the rest of her miserable life. Of course, she'd stick with Irie-kun no matter what the outcome was. However, she couldn't bear the guilt of changing somebody's life in this extreme level.

"Kotoko-san! Focus. Now tell me, are you feeling alright? Kotoko-san?" Moto-chan murmured, studying her features and he tried calming her down. Looking down, he noticed that she had a swollen ankle. Maybe it was sprained?

"Kotoko, calm down; you're probably hurt. Does your ankle hurt? Let's have a doctor check your leg-"

"No! I am not moving from here, I _refuse_Motoki, I need to see if Irie-kun is alive and well. I will _not_move from here, even if I die by some injury _I refuse!" _Kotoko's rant had escalated to panicking and hysterical yelling. Discarding the friend card, Motoki pulled out the no-nonsense-nurse card and called for backup as he held her squirming body down. Their size difference was no match; her screams didn't falter until the nurses had to step in and sedate her. Pulling her into a nearby cot, the team of nurses began to search for injuries.

Kotoko's world began to darken as the panic escaped her body and was replaced by a thick layer of fuzzy numbness, filling in the gaping hole in her heart.

_Naoki, please be alive and well...I love you._

The Irie-Aihara's burst through the hospital entrance and sprinted to the desk. Where were their children? After being directed to the wing by a solemn nurse, they spotted Motoki, who was rolling Kotoko's bed into a different ward.

"Moto-chan! Why is Kotoko unconscious?!"

"My daughter! Where's my son?! What happened?!"

Stopping to shush up the increasingly louder questions by her family members, Moto-chan motioned them to calm down; he wouldn't want them to be escorted out by the head nurse, especially at this critical hour. Once he had her settled in the room, he began to fill in the questions of her worried parents.

"From what I gathered from Kotoko and the security cameras, she was carrying their lunch and slipped down the stairs. Irie-san caught her as they both tumbled down. So far, she has a slightly fractured ankle, and some bruising on her arm. Other than that, she's healthy and well. As for Irie-san…there have been no updates from the operating doctors." Motoki trailed off, eyeing the horror-struck parents with genuine guilt and empathy. Clearing his throat, he excused himself and offered to ask the doctor if any updates were available.

Shigeo gripped his daughter's dainty hand and he quickly wiped his watery eyes with the other. Why is Kotoko always getting into these dangerous situations? Didn't this higher power know she is all he had left in this unforgiving world? Feeling two sets of hands on his shoulders, he looked up to Noriko and Shigeki. The sad and understanding eyes mirrored his own as they all tearfully hugged each other, staying united for the sake of their children.

"That was a close call. He almost bled out; the broken femur had slashed the femoral artery in his right leg, causing hemorrhaging and his concussion didn't help matters either. There's heavy swelling in the occipital lobe and in his hippocampus, there is a possibility he will have some memory problems." Nishigaki-san murmured tiredly as he took off his operating mask. A short pale woman had tear-streaks as she clung on to a dumpy man with spectacles. To his right, he saw a teenager that held a strong resemblance to his colleague. Nishigaki noticed that a petite nurse was missing from the crying crowd.

"Where's Irie's wife? Don't tell me she's been hospitalized too?" the doctor murmured as his voice turned serious again. Could this night get any worse?

"Yes doctor, but she just has a fractured ankle along with some bruises. She should be fine." Murmured a man in a chef's outfit. So this must be the dad.

"I see. Either way, I've had Irie-san moved to the ICU for overnight observations. You all are not allowed to visit him until he is moved. After the swelling in his brain is gone, he'll be moved to Kotoko-san's room just to make them comfortable. I must leave to fill out the procedure section. Excuse me."

With that, Nishigaki-sensei left. After the sighs of relief were sighed, the Irie-Aihara's quietly retreated to Kotoko's room, hoping to have both of them safe and sound very soon.

* * *

Slow, in-sync _beeps_ began to worm into his auditory system, provoking a pounding headache in tempo with the sound. The stiffness in his fingers and limbs made him feel like a statue, stoic and trapped. Even his eyes felt that they were glued shut. Cracking an eye-lid open, he looked around. The dim lights didn't let him see anything further than the window to his left. It seemed to be mid-afternoon or early sunset. Slowly turning his head to the right, he winced. His head throbbed anew, warning him to stop the movement. However, a familiar face caught his eye.

Noriko Irie was quietly knitting as she flipped through some patterns on a book. Eyeing her in fear, Naoki questioned his sanity. His mother had longer, mid-shoulder hair with a flair of rebellion, not a short cut with a headband. Why does she have crow's feet around her eyes? She looked older, more motherly than he's ever seen her. Alongside her was his younger brother, Yuuki. However, Yuuki didn't have braces anymore, nor he was four feet tall. Long legs were crossed as he whispered indignantly to his mother. Naoki noticed that his brother wore a "Tonan Highschool Tennis" sweater. Highschool?

Closing his eyes again, he considered his options.

Choice A: He was going insane.

Choice B: He was hospitalized for six to seven years

Choice C: He was in a realistic nightmare.

Hearing footsteps, he lay still, hoping to hear in on the insanity of what he was seeing.

"Afternoon Noriko, any progress? I let Kin-chan run the restaurant while I came to visit Kotoko and Naoki-kun. Where is she?" Shigeo murmured quietly as he took a seat on the small couch, peeking over to the bathroom door.

"She's washing up for bed. Poor Kotoko-chan! I want the both of them home already!" Noriko whined, emitting a "shh!" sound from her youngest son. Somewhere along the line, Naoki needed answers. Twitching exaggeratedly, he groaned, blinking up.

"Onii-chan?!"

"Naoki-kun?"

The multiple questioning sounds came to his side immediately. Upon closer inspection, the three of them looked much older than he anticipated. His mother was sporting shiny silver streaks, while Shigeo greyed entirely.

"Finally! How're you feeling Naoki? Are you alright? Do you nee-"

"I'm fine." His voice croaked. Woah. His voice was a pitch deeper, rough even. What on Earth happened to him?

"Good to hear Naoki-kun, let me call a nurse to check up on you." Murmured Shigeo, as he stepped outside.

Hearing the commotion surrounding her husband's bed, Kotoko limped into the room, anticipating hearing his voice. Finally, after two weeks on the mend, she was released from the hospital. However, she was on leave so she could receive therapy for her ankle. Using her crutches, she reached the end of Naoki's bed and stared at him. He stared back. Kotoko also looked older. She no longer housed the baby-face complexion; her cheekbones and jaw became more sharp and defined. She had a light, healthy glow of makeup and blush, giving her a bubbly yet mature look. She sported a curvier body than the ramrod straight body he last saw.

However, his observations didn't make sense. At all.

Kotoko smiled slowly as she admired him. He looked amazing; his shrunken cheeks, his lifeless hair, his paler than normal complexion, it all screamed perfection when his eyes were open and alert. He was perfect in her eyes as long as he was alive. Quickly limping to him, she gently hugged her husband and closed her watering eyes.

"Irie-kun, I'm so glad you're awake, don't scare us like that." Kotoko whispered with heavy relief, sighing into his neck. However, her relief was short-lived when she felt weak shoving.

"Get off, you're suffocating me; what happened to me? Why am I hospitalized?" Naoki mumbled as he guiltily ignored her slightly crestfallen face.

"You don't remember? Kotoko came to bring you lunch since you had a long shift. She slipped and you caught her as you both fell down the stairs. That's why your leg is fractured." Noriko murmured as she inspected his face No realization had dawned on him, no understanding, just sheer confusion and incredulity.

He his confusion grew as well as his anger; only Aihara would get him involved with _another _stair-case accident. He briefly remembered the day he had his SAT's and almost failed to attend because of her unlucky charm.

However, why would they be at a hospital having lunch?

Naoki glared at Kotoko, "Only _you _would get us in a stair-case accident twice in one year. Honestly woman, you're such a bad luck charm." he murmured.

Everyone raised an eyebrow.

"Twice in a year?" Kotoko questioned, looking at the ceiling. They haven't had any accidents this bad since highschool...

"Yes! C'mon Kotoko, remember when you made me that "lucky" charm for my entrance SAT's? I ended up spraining my ankle! How could you forget, this happened almost a month ago!" Naoki ranted, but abruptly stopped.

Everyone looked horrified.

"A month ago? That incident happened almost eight years ago." Kotoko whispered hollowly, fearing the worst of their tragedy. Had her husband lost his memory?

It quickly grew quiet. Naoki clutched his head, trying to compute everything in place. Everything was freezing, jamming itself into a chaotic rhythm that he couldn't understand.

"Irie-san! I need you to sign this paperwork for your husband's exam results. Please sign here." a nurse spoke calmly as she timidly smiled at the lying man in bed. He didn't return it. Backtracking a bit his eyes opened at a comical size as he heard the word "husband" and saw Kotoko Aihara sign said paperwork. What on _Earth_ was going on?

_If she was Irie-san, that meant..._

The platinum wedding band on his left hand sat innocently, as if taunting him into madness. This dream was getting out of hand.

"Since when are you an "Irie?" Signing documents under a different name is illegal Aihara." Naoki mumbled, but hoping to hear a reaction. He got one.

"Aihara...? Naoki, we've been married for seven years." the short woman whispered fearfully as the room grew silent once more. Things have definitely descended into madness.

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**AN: So...is the story still rockin? Let me know! R&amp;R**


	4. Chapter 4

Fear flooded her body as bewilderment infiltrated his.

Her confession and six-year odyssey for Naoki's love was not all for naught; Kotoko loved her lanky genius of a husband more than anything in this world. Their blossoming love helped them, showing monumental progress in their marriage. He had no longer been cold and distant, for his world began to bloom with his favorite flower at his side. Kotoko briefly remembered his loving gestures as their married years progressed, recalling his random bouts of love with bouquets of flowers and unexpected kisses. Unfortunately, his shocked and bewildered face made her fears harsh and real. Her beloved wasn't there anymore.

"That's impossible." He croaked out fearfully as he looked at his family; Naoki was uncharacteristically confused by this entire ordeal. He eyed the family desperately, hoping for an easy answer.

"Naoki-kun, it isn't! You two have been married since your sophomore year in Tonan University. Don't you remember a single thing?!" Noriko spat out, tears filling her exhausted eyes. These two weeks were terribly exhausting due to the accident; the house was in disarray, Kotoko was depressed and still injured, and now her son didn't recall the last seven years of his life.

Naoki slowly shook his head as he tightly gripped the white sheets.

As Doctor Nishigaki strode in with his accompanying nurse, a series of questions had tumbled out of his cautious mouth. Head pain, eye-sight, and cranial questions were discussed as the Irie family solemnly looked at the patient.

_"__So, you don't remember anything at all Irie-san? What year is it?"_

_"__No. The year is 2009."_

_"__Who are your parents?"_

_"__Noriko and Shigeki Irie."_

_"__What is your brother's and wife's name?"_

_"__Yuuki Irie…and I am not married."_

_ "__No?"_

_"__No."_

_"__What is the largest and most muscular of the four chambers of the heart?"_

_"__The…left ventricle."_

"Interesting." Doctor Nishigaki breathed out, interested in his colleague's condition. After all, not many amnesic patients landed under his care. However, it seemed that there was a breakthrough in their midst.

"Everyone, mind if I have a word with you all while Naoki-san gets his blood drawn?" The Doctor murmured as he gestured to the hallway. Scratching his head, he pulled out Naoki's chart and led them outside the room.

The family followed anxiously, hoping to hear good news.

Closing the door, he turned around, "It seems that Irie-san has some type of retrograde amnesia; typically, that means that all past events and muscle-memory have been erased. However, I notice that he answered specific medical knowledge. Putting it simply, he has all of his knowledge and experiences, but he may need to remember on his own. Photos, videos, and anecdotes may help jog his memory. It's like a locked safe; the contents are still inside, all you need is the right key." Nishigaki murmured as he looked at their fearful faces.

"What about behavior? Will it revert to his current "time period"?" Kotoko's soft voice broke the silence. Everyone glanced at her with understanding expressions as they shifted uncomfortably. That's what everyone feared; a cold and distant man returning into their lives, replacing the timid, yet kind doctor. Could Kotoko handle the calculating and cold attitude yet again? The countless jibes at her ego came rushing into her mind, reminding her of some days that ended in anguish. Of course she would handle it.

_Anything_ for him.

The absolute quiet slightly unsettled him. Lying alone in the room had made him uncomfortable, as if needing a bit more noise. He needed _something_, like some type of white background noise. Sighing heavily, he looked around; the table next to him housed countless "Get-Well" cards, along with small vases of flowers. _Huh_… even at this age he was still popular.

Looking around, his eyes fell on a familiar bag. It was nothing special; it was his dark brown satchel for school. The threading around the suede bag was slightly frayed, giving the bag a well-worn feel. Slightly smiling, he reached for it and began to rummage around. Maybe he'd find any familiar possessions? Answering his thoughts almost immediately, two slim smart-phones met his wandering hands.

Glancing at the door's tiny window cautiously, he could still see the doctor talking to his family. Naoki chose the phone with the black case rather than the brightly-colored one. He half-heartedly smirked; he figured that it was Kotoko's phone. Pressing the power button on the top right frame, he turned on the black phone. After the few seconds of loading, the lock screen met his eyes. Behind the pin pad was a background photo he would never imagine could exist. Especially in _his_ phone!

He and Kotoko were posing quite closely next to a mahogany table, both sporting genuine smiles as they gestured the cheerful "peace" sign. Kotoko wore blue and white-striped pajamas, while he wore a light red hoodie. Surprisingly enough, the pajama set she wore was somehow familiar. He could easily image the texture of the material, yielding cool and soft cotton. However, how would he know the texture of Kotoko's nightwear? Closing his eyes, he laid back, trying to remember a time where he, indeed, felt the infamous fabric.

_*Toads croaked as the steady pitter-patter of rain splattered on the roof, creating the generic song of summer. The night was hot and rainy, perfect for the farms and their crops. As the old farmhouse creaked from years of withstanding the seasons, only one person had been awake. Walking unsteadily, Naoki slightly leaned on the old, wooden doorframe; his late night chat with his father-in-law had inhibited him, physically and mentally. Sighing heavily, he looked down at the small form sprawled on the futon.  
Kotoko was asleep, sporting a high-top bun as her pants were rolled up to her thighs. A small glimmer of sweat shone on her hairline, signifying that it wasn't only him that was working up a sweat. Unfortunately, her uncle's house didn't have any air conditioning or any state of the art equipment to rid them of heat._

_Smiling softly, Naoki pulled out a small fan from the depths of the cluttered guest room and began to fan the sleeping girl. Almost immediately, she smiled and snuggled into the pillow, relaxing noticeably. As the night grew, Naoki began to grow weary of fanning, so he lay down yet continued his task at hand._

_The small figure next to him brushed closer to his side and smacked an arm on his chest, creating some sort of sprawled embrace. Smiling wider, he hugged her while he fanned them both. The light and cool cotton under his fingertips felt smooth and familiar as he tucked her against his chest. It eased him to believe that she was comfortable enough to sleep throughout the night.*_

Eyes flashing open, he looked around in an awe-struck manner. Did he have a flashback? What was that?! Another question that harbored his muddled brain was about the silently sweet memory. A pang in his heart had him feel somewhat fond of Kotoko.

Blushing furiously, he shook his head. That was _not_ happening! Turning off the phone, he threw everything in the satchel in a hurried manner; he needed facts, reasons, _anything_ that would undeniably prove that he was married to the girl who turned his home and school life upside down. His face crumpled slightly; how on Earth is this possible? In reality, it seemed like a sick joke. His mother got her wishes to have the absent-minded girl join the family. He didn't like her at all.

_"__That's not true. You like her determination and cheerfulness, remember?" _Naoki's inner voice chimed quietly, pausing his inner banter. So it was true. But still, it felt unsettling to miss almost seven years of his life overnight. Naoki became pensive once more; what else could he remember?

As the family walked back into the room, they felt the tension in the room begin to thicken; His eyes seemed stoic, distant in some other world. His absent-mindedness was quite a shock; Naoki was known for being alert and coherent of his surroundings. Today was the opposite.

Clearing her throat weakly, Kotoko gently murmured to her husband, "Irie-kun, Doctor Nishigaki said that you'll be discharged by the day after tomorrow, since your cranial swelling went down completely."

"Ah. That's good news." Naoki mumbled quietly, looking down. He couldn't bear to look at her; he felt an immense weight on his heart, almost making it difficult to breathe. Could it be that he felt guilty for not remembering the tiny woman? Glancing up cautiously, he eyed his mother who was discreetly dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

He looked down again.

_A few days later…_

With the help of the ever-present Kotoko, Naoki scooted out of the glossy black car, holding on to the door as he looked at his surroundings. The three-story mansion cast a shadow over the entire drive-way, ensnaring the land easily. He breathed out uneasily, taking in the scenery; why did they move out of their old home?

"Ready?" Kotoko murmured quietly, as she pulled out the wheelchair from the trunk. She got no response. Kotoko watched him as he studied the front of their home with solemnity rather than recognition. He looked tired, drained almost…but he was still handsome and perfect in all the right ways. She wistfully smiled, waiting for a response.

"I suppose so. Thank you for pulling out the wheelchair." The lanky man mumbled. She smiled.  
Easing into the wheelchair, he was pushed by Kotoko to the front door. Within these few days, he had slowly eased out of his shock even though nothing rang any bells in his brain. Pausing slightly, he looked at the lobby of the impressive mansion.

The granite floors shined spectacularly along with the mahogany furniture, draped with expensive-looking vases and sculptures. the house was warmly lit, showcasing Noriko's near-professional photographs. Reaching the living room, they were met with an explosion of confetti and a chorus of "Welcome Back!"

Shielding their eyes from the onslaught of colorful paper, the couple joined the family gathering. Thankfully, Kotoko didn't mention the gathering to her nor Naoki's colleagues, in hopes of having her husband eased into their normal lives first. As the family conversed about Noriko's homemade dishes, Kotoko felt off. She noticed that Naoki was glancing at their bedroom door. Inching nearer as to not distract her parents, she whispered, "Want to go to our room?"  
He jumped a little in his seat and glared at the woman next to him. Funnily enough, Kotoko couldn't help but noticing his ears reddening with embarrassment.  
"Look Kotoko, we might be "married" and all, but I'm not going into some foreign room to-"  
"-maybe you'll find something that sparks your memory!" She interrupted hastily, trying to squash his impending embarrassment. After a suspicious look, he nodded discreetly, looking over his parents. As their parents picked up the dishes from the kitchen, she pushed him to their room. Naoki noted the name plaques on the bedroom door.

_Huh. We really do share a room…_His inner voice spoke in disbelief. Closing the door behind her, Kotoko waited for a reaction from Naoki.

Her ears were met with a large, choking gasp.

AN: Let me know what you think! thanks (:  
*The flashback was thee episode where they visit Kotoko's mother's grave. Just my little spin on that episode.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Well…Hi you guys. After two months of forgetting about "Lost Moments" I came across this chapter sitting in my document page. Of course, it wasn't finished so I wrote some more this past week while I had my little orientation classes and whatnot. Anywho! I was wondering if this fandom died off? Generally speaking, shows that already finished kind of have the fans die off? So far, I haven't seen many updates within the ItaKiss fandom but…*shrugs* I absolutely love the anime and drama, so I feel kind of shitty to _not_ finish it? And I've been in the position where I read a really good fanfic and I find out it hasn't been updated in years. So… I don't want to be _that_ writer. Without further ado, here's a little chapter!**

* * *

"Mother of God." He breathed out harshly.

With wide glassy eyes, Naoki slowly observed their room as he tried his hardest not to yell in terror and disbelief. The spacious room was centered on a Queen-sized canopy bed that was overflowing with pillows and various blankets. His eyes roamed to the left, finding a smaller room, a study perhaps? To the right was a glass French door, leading out to the private patio that had been decorated with various shrubs and plants. All of these various details were completely insignificant since the glaringly obvious photographs adorned almost every inch of the maroon-colored walls.

"I know it might be a bit too much; Mama had already decorated the room by the time we came back from our honeymoon." Kotoko murmured hastily, sensing his growing shock and confusion.

"…A bit much? That, Kotoko, is a bit of an understatement." Naoki replied dryly, as he massaged his temples. Chuckling sadly, Kotoko sat on the bed as she studied her bewildered husband. Should she start from the beginning?

"Neh, Irie-kun?"

"Hmm?"

"So…What would you like to know? Should I start from the beginning?" Kotoko murmured as she grabbed a pillow to place on her lap. Her head tilted and her body hunched as she waited for a reply; after countless hours of visiting the hospital and attending physical therapy, she was _exhausted_.

Mentally _and_ physically.

"So far, I remember that we are both in high-school, you had your room in our home, and that you had appendicitis when I had to take an entrance exam. That's about it…Oh and I fell down the stairs and hurt my leg." He murmured sullenly. After all, his greatest strength was knowledge on just about everything on any given subject; lacking knowledge was something he wasn't used to. Groaning slightly, Naoki tried adjusting himself in a more comfortable position in his wheelchair; he didn't find one.

Noticing the small winces, she got off the bed and gestured him to lift his arms.

"C'mon. Let's get you on the bed instead. We can talk there." Kotoko murmured helpfully as she got into position.

He only raised an eyebrow. As he ran his eyes down her body, he calculated that she had to at least weigh sixty pounds less than him. How was she going to lift him without bringing them both down?

"I'm a nurse. I've lifted heavier patients than you, Naoki. Face it, you need my help; I'm sure everyone went to bed already." Came a quiet reply. Eyes snapping up, he caught her determined eyes that were ready to argue him into oblivion.

"No thanks, I'm fine right where I am." Naoki mumbled, tilting his chin up in defiance. The last thing he needed was to be helped by some F-Class student. He'd rather spend the night in his wheelchair than get her help. Wheeling to the bookshelf, he picked out a book at random and pried it open_. Physiology of the Human Body_ was bound to interest him for a couple of hours while he patiently waited for the girl to leave the room. Looking at the complicated pages did nothing to s thoughts; he was listening to footsteps to fade away, leaving him in solace. Hearing none, he concentrated even more to read page 87.

Thankfully, he heard footsteps retreating from the bed along with a short sigh. However, he heard the soft scrape of a chair being moved to his left. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he peered over; Kotoko had turned on her laptop as she gathered heavy-looking portfolios and folders. What was she doing?

"If you're going to be stubborn, I might as well do some work." Kotoko drawled, as she hauled her gatherings on the desk. As the laptop buzzed to life he caught a glimpse of her screensaver; a breathtaking scene of a pristine beach that had a _"Welcome to Okinawa!"_ sign adorned with information on the city. _That looks vaguely familiar… _He thought idly, stroking the pages absentmindedly. The steady click-clack of her typing and the random page turn had lulled his attitude slightly as he watched her work. Soon, an hour had passed and his leg was beginning to pulse heavily, bringing dull pain with each beat. Shifting around, he eyed the bed warily; she had been right after all.

"You know, there's nothing wrong having some help, especially mine. I'd hate to tell Dr. Nishigaki that you'll need more resting time." Kotoko murmured breezily as she signed some papers. The disguised threat wasn't missed. As she packed her paperwork, she smiled briefly while waiting for an answer. Eyeing his jeans and jacket, she added hastily, "I'd also like to sleep in pajamas if I were you. It sucks sleeping in jeans."

"No thanks, I can manage."

"Really?"

"Really."

Rolling her eyes, she took her pajamas and went into their bathroom to change. _Finally, this is my chance! _Naoki thought as he tried to lift himself off the wheelchair. Unfortunately, his shaking arms and leg told him it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

"Are you ready to sleep in jeans and in an uncomfortable chair tonight?" Kotoko asked as she came out of the bathroom, as she held blue folded sweatpants. She waited for a reply.

"So you really think you can lift me and put me on a bed?" Naoki taunted as he eyed the blue sweatpants. They _did_ look comfortable…

"Oh please, Irie-kun. Humor me."

Humoring her, Naoki sighed and lifted his arms mockingly.

To be blunt, he was extremely surprised.

Feeling himself rise steadily, he gasped and he felt that Kotoko angled him to reach the bed. Hopping slightly, Naoki gave himself enough momentum to scoot on the mattress, feeling immediate relief on his broken leg.

"I'm actually impressed." Naoki murmured as he settled on his side of the bed, lifting an eyebrow when she shrugged in answer.

"You normally are, Irie-kun. I always wonder why." Kotoko chuckled as she fluffed his pillows, while settling on her side of the bed. After a pregnant pause, maybe it was the battle of wills of who had to speak first, Naoki cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I apologize…for being difficult with you earlier today, Kotoko." Naoki mumbled uncertainly as he felt his embarrassment rise. _Why_ was he being difficult?

"I'm used to your stubborn attitude. Good thing I'm patient. Now that that's settled, let's get your pajamas on!" Kotoko chirped as she began to unzip his jacket. Yelling out in surprise, he tried moving away from her determined hands. This was going to be a _long_ night.

**AN: Well folks, this is all I got for tonight. I'm still thinking about the plot and in which direction it's gonna go. Feel free to review, message, or comment on what you think so far. Again, I'm sorry about this 2 month hiatus. See ya!**


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